(Newser)
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The climate change bill up for Senate committee debate tomorrow doesn't stand a chance unless its Democratic backers can sweet talk some of their GOP colleagues, the Washington Post reports. The legislation focuses on a cap-and-trade system where companies could buy and sell emissions permits as needed. But Republican support is minimal, and even Dems from coal country are leery. So backers are upping the ante by adding something their GOP friends want: nuclear plants.

So far, possibilities include provisions on nuclear power and offshore drilling and an amendment to speed up the construction of nuclear reactors. But those pot-sweeteners still might not sway Republicans. "A tepid nuclear title isn't enough to get her to support a bad climate bill," says a rep for Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who was once seen as a likely ally but remains skeptical.

dan - you can thank your lucky stars for the lefty libs who agitated agains nuclear power back then. Because of it the plants are safer than they've ever been, not because the corporations wanted to make them so. Recently the NRC implemented its working hours rule to prevent overly-tired nuclear plant workers from performing safety-related jobs. This had to be done because corporate greed has slashed the staffing in American nuclear plants to less than effective levels. Disagree with me if you will, but I'm here looking at it, and have been since 1972.

newsrmandan

Nov 2, 2009 10:39 AM CST

when lefties and libs take up the conversation of Nukes, their mind goes auto pilot to 3 mile Island and Chernoble and thats because they are stuck in the flower power 60's the shrooms have gone to there heads and its affecting all reasoning. When I hear talk of nukes I go to http://www.hyperionpowergenera... / and think, these are the kinds of companies that are providing real solutions to the lefts supposed problems. Why aren't they promoting this type of thinking.

tomodachi

Nov 2, 2009 5:35 AM CST

@guava: I don't want to eliminate capitalism... that would be throwing the baby out with the bath water. When I point out the ugly side of capitalism... i'm merely expressing my opinion of what's wrong with our system... and what should be better regulated. IMO: a more perfect government would be one that actually polls the taxpayers and creates laws and policies that reflect their majority (this isn't happening now). And in this government system, the lobbyists would be almost eliminated from buying government... and the stranglehold that the republicans and democrats have on the current system would come to a screeching halt.